Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Kai's last speech

Kai had his last speech therapy for the summer today. And after our first horrendous appointment to our last one 6 weeks later, I can say that Kai is doing much better! He participated well and tryied to sign more and even tried to say things. I was so proud of him! He played games with Linda and even gave her a hug when we left. It turned out better than I was expecting, and I am so happy and relieved.

I remembered to ask about the benefits Linda had mentioned last month, and she photocopied forms for me and filled out her portions. This is the "Child Disability Benefit" through the Canadian government and is a tax-free benefit "up to $137.75 per month ($1,653 per year) for low-and-modest-income families who are for a child under age 18 with a severe and prolonged mental or physical impairment." I don't know if we will qualify for it or not, but it's worth a shot. The nice thing about this is that it will be retroactive all the way to birth, too! Woot!!!

Linda wrote under the Examples of effects of impairment as this: "unable to get basic needs met as can not express himself; saftely as a concern as can not express what's happened, give information, as well as does not always follow directions. Highly unintelligible verbally–uses some augmentive." As for Diagnosis, she wrote: "Childhood Apraxia of Speech/Phonological Disorder/Expressive Language Disorder".

She went over it with me and I agree with all she wrote, but she wanted me to understand that while she does not completely think of it as a "disorder" as much of a "delay", but the term sounds better! She did use the term "Apraxia" again today at the end of our session (before I asked about the forms), which makes me wonder if it's Official or if it Still "can't be ruled out". She said she was going to try more of the things she learned at the Apraxia conference on Kai starting in September when we see her again, but did mention how it's a bit hard as he's younger than the age she's studied.

I'm feeling good about this and not at all sorrowful. I'm taking it one step at a time. We'll know more when we see Linda again in September.

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